Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-25
A BRAVE VETO SUSTAINED
THE HOUSE SEALS THE FATE OF
THE PEN~ION GRAB.

Avote ofI75 Yeas to 125 Nays Shows
+bst Two-Thlrds of the House Refused
to Wrong-Alr. Bragg Makes "a Mag
uiicent Ranying speech for the
Friends of Pension Reform.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24.-In the House
today Mr.. Mahoney calledup the depend
ont penson bill with the veto message OF
the President thereon. 1t was agreed that
the debate should run until O'Clock,
when the previous question should be
considered as ordered.
MIR. Conger, of Iowa, thought that the
renort of the Committee on Invalid Pen
sions was q complete answer to the Pres
dents hyperbol criticisms on the meas
nre. He commented on the action of the
president in vetoing the pending measure
and vet signing the Mexican pension bill,
saving that he did not think that patriotic
neople were ready to indorse such action
or commend their chief ruler for taking
if. No protest had come against this bill
except from the Southern states and from
the money centres. Had it come to this
Ahat Wall street and the solid South were
so instrumental in @ lecting the chief ex-
ecutive that they could command him to
2pproye measure which Injured to the
benefit of men who had fought against
their countrv's flag, and to withhold his
approval from one for the benefit of those
whose sufferinos had saved the nation
and made 1t great.
Passage over the veto was also advo-
Gated by Messrs. sawyer of New York,
Warner of Missouri, O'Hara of North
Carolina, Henderson OF Iowa, Haynes Of
New Hampshire, Bayne of Pennsylvania,
Grosyenor of Ohio, Burrows OF Michigan,
and Morrill, OF Kansas.
TIME TO CALL HALT.
Mr. Bragg, of Wisconsin, said that the
time had arrived when the pension ques-
tlon should receive more than casual con-
siderati0n. 1t was time for the members
OF the House to get out from the roseat
bubble IN which they lived in Washing
ton, prepared for them by claim agents,
and look after the interests of the real
soldier and the business interests of the
country. They had driited along, i'm
PEELED by a species of sympathetic i'm
pulse, regardless of reason or judgment,
until the period was reached which cul-
minated in the presentation and passage
OF one of the most scandalous bills which
had ever been sent to the President for
his signature. The people OF the country,
without regard to party, had every reason
TO be thankful that this bill had been pre-
selted to an executive who had back
bone enough to meet the situation.
lG few years the soldiers of the
country mot the bummers) would
have arrived at an age when they could
come to Congress and demand as right
aud not ask as a charity that provision
be made for them. Let not Congress
bankrupt the Treasury before that time
arrived by yielding to the demands of de-
serters, coffee coolers and bounty jump
ers. If the gentleman from Pennsylvania
Mr.. Bayne) would read the National
Tribune, published In Washington by
men who received from $25, 900 to $45, 900
month as fees from pensioners-bloOd
money taken from the soldier, whom they
pretended to love-he would find in every
column some abuse of the President and
Of those who thought differently from
them as TO the propriety OF this measure.
Iley proiessed TO be friends OF the sol.
ders, as vultures were friends of dead
bodies, because they fed and fattened
On them.
BRIDE FOR VOTES.
These were the men who were the pro-
essed friends Of soldiers. They had the
Iace oil Jacob but their hand had the
cu'cn OF Esau. The men who advocated
llls Dill were not the friends of the true
soldier. They advocated this bill--Esny
u t1em-why? Simply because men
could vote whom they expected to buy
by this bill.
Mr. Henderson, of Iowa-For one pro-
loance that false. Applause on the Re-
puollcan side and In the galleries.
MI bragg-l say that that is the sub
stratum upon which all this action is
Yaseu' ii these men whom they call pau
geIS were TO call upon them individually
Vl ana they would say TO them: You
sVJu- -iUf-nOtllnp lpnnndrala
Sompetent to work as we are. Laughter
"T1 w applause on the Republican side.
lloceeulhs, he stated that the news
s~pel s~peIs vi the country were teeming with
ppAgresslons approving the action OF the
selueht' When Mr.. Henderson Inter-
@tp, @p.eC WIN the suggestion that the
yWV!S uiu not advertise in the papers
VT: bragg declined to take any need of
s, V Interruption. lie said it has been
s a'u oy the Committee on Invalid PEN
paS % that lne President was inconsistent:
nsmsin "ue should have vetoed the Mexican
~Slon In,pn olll' Had the President done so
any AM. ", VT. bragg would have esteemed it
W., W Tue noO!est acts Of his life. but
cen the bill went to him win aImost
4 Ssno,l hinous vote Of both House and
! ry"ee, aee ana without the press OF the coun-
No. Ua'll,s MS attention to its enOrmities
a oco 'ne in rresldentwrong in suppos ng tn at
|gmld 1"hlle the Pension Committee
bassod aPV'C olil which ought to be
''u' Laughter and applause.
GOOD REASONS.
Fbio vas SAID that there were other bills
ava So VI the same principle, ought to
tNo Ieeh zen vetoed. He conceded il. but
he sIe ~ PRESIDENT took time to inouire into
rom "CIs ~, III regard To every bill That came
onia the PENSION Committee alone. he
ublIa nave no time TO give TO apy other
d. business. There might be two
sy. W lne question Of consistency. A tew
pnr,,.9 go tne PRESIDENT had vetoed the bill
sso5 iaIIhg 10000 tor the distribution
lreIv III II eAas on the ground that it was
Carl ohaIlty. The chairman and
pvaijd very member of the
snsto, u fehslon Committee had voted
biIHln him ~ Ihe PRESIDENT. When The pend
n WAS WAS originally before the aouse.
ba5 5'elun nun from Indiana (Mr. Mat
bnt n"u ueclared IT. was not A pension
pw W. purely charity. and yet that ma
renl', w teu u 10 pass the bill over the veto.
rosyeSsae'o 70 Ihe gentleman from Ohio MIR.
NJ. Rrnr who had discovered that he
ould s'g asg was Presidential agenf- ne
emhlI"y mat the Grand Army of tho
Essed ot lts last grand encampment.
lee nepsi iIesolutlon condemning the ser.
|oceeJnasS' nS'oh On OF vs. per month. He them
lt wiz. W analyzs tho bill and noint
hlures" ne regarded as It's vitally evil